Killer whale of a story

Tilikum killed Dawn Brancheau. And he did it in front of an audience of children and their parents. The orca fatally attacked his trainer in 2010 at SeaWorld Orlando. Kidnapped from his natural habitat at age 3, he's been living in captivity for 30 years: Is that enough to result in psychological issues like other intelligent and socially complex creatures would experience in similar situations? Get insight into it in this excellent story by David Kirby about the human-amusement park's treatment of these animals at http://tinyurl.com/deathseaworld, or his book, Death at SeaWorld: Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity. The shocking heartbreak can also be seen in the new documentary, Blackfish, though it's not playing in local theaters yet. Make time for it this week if you're in Berkeley, Chico or Walnut Creek. Visit www.blackfishmovie.com to see the trailer.